Reflections of a Wedding
by White Siamese
Summary: As a wedding takes place, someone sits and reflects on how love slipped away...


*Ranma ½ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, any character not in the series is my creation*

          The music stopped playing once the women reached the altar.  The two men, dressed in tuxedos, took each girl's hand nervously, but happily.  _"Humph," One of the guests thought to herself,_

_"I should be up there."_

The priest began the speech that had not changed over the years.

"Dearly beloved we are gathered here today…" letting her to drift off into the safety of her thoughts.

Everyone was shocked at who he had picked.  All of their friends thought he really loved her, and given the chance he would marry her.  It didn't happen.  After the shock had worn off, everyone was happy, exceptionally happy, except for her.  She had no idea what to do.  She wasn't really mad. She only wanted him to be happy, though no one knew it, not even her family.  She looked around at all the people who had gathered.  The family members were up in the front row, but not her family members.  She thought back to all those times she hit him.

"No wonder he stopped loving me when she entered his life," She reflected

          All those times he was with her were for nothing.  The talking, the fighting, the times he rescued her, and those rare sweet moments alone with him were all for nothing.  Once the vows began, she came out of her thoughts.  She glared at the couples as the bride said her vows.

"Ladies first, how quaint," she mumbled.

"Shhhhh." someone next to her scolded.

The girl looked at her. The women didn't notice.  She was too busy watching the event that was going on in front of the church.  With her mumbling, she had missed the first part of what he said.

"I will love, honor, and protect you, no matter what happens." He promised.

At the same time, the other man was exchanging his vows with his love.  

The girl had forgotten that they where up there.  She looked from man to man, then woman to woman.  The couple on the right was smiling and really nervous, while the couple on the left was smiling and exceptionally calm.

"Well why would they be, they never had family or tradition forcing them to be together," she thought.

After the vows were said, the priest had the couples face him, then he asked,

"Do you, Ranma Soatome, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, for long as you both shall live?"

"I can't take this," she thought, as she got up and left the church.

          Outside the sun was setting, and the wind was blowing softly.  The girl sat on one of the chairs that were set out for the reception.

"He finally did it, wait, they finally did it."  When she was asked to attend the wedding personally that had been the final nail driven into the lid of her casket.

"At least he's happy," she grumbled.

"I wish he had asked me," she whispered, looking at the horizon.

A loud roar could be heard from inside the church.  The girl looked over at the window. The couples where kissing.  At that moment, the fathers rushed up front, blocking the view for the girl.

"They went thorough with it?" she asked herself, standing up.

From the back of the church, the guest came out, filling the once quiet air with noise.  When she looked inside the church, the couples where hugging each other and laughing.

"Well, might as well go talk to them before everyone else does," she thought.  Swiftly she walked into the church, hoping no one saw her.

          "Finally," she heard one of the men say.

"Yeah, you got that right, and it only took us how long?" the other asked.

"Are we including how long it took the two of you to confess that you loved each other?" one woman asked.

"God, that would be what, nine years?" asked the first man.

"Oh yeah, you two weren't any better," the second man pointed out.

"Hey I saw the light after that incident, and then I told her, remember Soatome."

"Yeah, I remember, I remember."

"Come on let's go change," the second women said.

"Yes lets, and no, you can't come," the first said laughing.

Taking a deep breath, the girl out in the hall entered.  The men had already changed out of their tux's and were wearing their normal clothes. The girls were nowhere to be found.  Ranma was wearing a blue Chinese shirt with black pants.

"Shampoo, you came," he said happily.

Shampoo gave a little wave as she walked down the aisle.

"I wanted to walk down this aisle, to be his once. Then it was..." her thought trailed off when she saw the other man.

"Hi, Shampoo," the other man said quietly.

"Hello, Mousse,"  she said just as quietly.

"Shampoo really thought ceremony was lovely, every thing was lovely, even violent girl and Mousse new wife," Shampoo said nervously.

"Thanks," said Ranma and Mousse together.  

          "If we're going to skip the reception, we need to leave now,"  someone replied coming out from the dressing room.

Ranma and Mousse turned around.  Akane and Yui where walking down the aisle for the second time that day, but instead of wedding gowns, they wore normal clothes.  Akane was dressed similar to Ranma, while Yui was wearing a tank top and shorts.

"Do they suspect?" Mousse asked, taking Yui's hand.

"Well, Nabiki just saw us change," replied Akane.

"Yeah, and with a smile, she ran off.  I think she went to go tell everyone," said Yui looking out the window at the still mingling guests.

"You no stay for party?" Shampoo asked.

"No, Shampoo, we don't want be bothered for a while," explained Mousse.

"A while? Try years!" shuddered Ranma.

Akane laughed, hugging him, then kissing him on the cheek.

"Why then you leave so secretively?"

"Forced consummation," said a new person.

Everyone turned around and saw Nabiki.

"We're dead," groaned Ranma.

"Shampoo don't understand?" Shampoo replied, looking from the couples to Nabiki.

"Soun and Genma, along with Nodoka and Hipposai are to come with us on the honeymoon and make sure they don't break apart," explained Yui, pointing at her cousin and his wife.

"Shampoo don't think that they will ever be broken up even though Shampoo try for so long," she replied sadly.

An awkward silence fell over the church.

"That's in the past Shampoo, you'll find someone.  Trust me," Akane said hoping to cheer the Amazon up.

"Shampoo thought she did, then Shampoo lose him too, that lost hurt the most," she said looking at Mousse and Yui.

Mousse didn't meet her eyes.  Instead he looked down at his hand holding Yui's, as the silver bands twinkled in the lights of the church.

          Outside a limo pulled up and honked its horn.

"And that would be our ride," replied Nabiki.

The newly weds and the Amazon looked at her stunned.

"What ride?" asked Akane.

"If you think you four are going to grab a bus and head for the air port with out me and Kasumi, you better think again."

"Thanks Nabiki," said Yui hugging her friend.

"Welcome. I don't want your honeymoon ruined because my sister and brother-in-law had to consummate their relationship before the wedding," she explained.

"Oh, so that's why you were so sore on the day of your last fight with your father," said Mousse placing a hand on Ranma shoulder.  Ranma slapped Mousse on the back,

"Yep, and that's why we couldn't find you or Yui for three days. You guys did the same thing," Ranma said winking at his cousin.

"Can we go before we get caught?" Hissed Nibiki,

"Kasumi is already in the limo,"

Akane grabbed Ranma's hand and made their way out the church and into the limo.

          Mousse looked at Shampoo.

"I need to go," He said shyly.

"Yes, go Shampoo understand," she said pouting.

Mousse rolled his eyes.

"I gave you a chance, a lot of them. I still love you Shampoo, but not the same way as before.  I love Yui more than life itself." he explained.

"Shampoo knows, but you gave up only home you knew for her," she reasoned one last time.

Mousse shook his head.  "Wherever Yui is, that's home," he said, walking past her.

Shampoo didn't turn. She didn't want to watch them go. She didn't want to see them holding hands and looking so happy.

"Shampoo?" she heard Yui call.

"What?" she asked.

"You'll be our first child's god mother, won't you?" she asked.  Shampoo turned around and saw Mousse and Yui at the door.  A smile was on each of their faces.  Shampoo nodded happily.

"Of course, now go. Shampoo keep people away," she replied shooing them out the door.  Nabiki held the door open for them.  Shampoo waved as she came out of the church.

          "Are you willing to distract everyone?" asked Nabiki.

"Yes. What Shampoo have to do?" she asked.

"Here." Nabiki handed Shampoo a note.

"Give this to my dad, once the limo peals out of the parking lot."  Shampoo nodded.

"Hey Shampoo," called Akane and Yui.

Shampoo looked up at the sun roof.  Instantly two sets of bouquets landed in her hands.

"Now there is no doubt you won't be the next to get married."  said Akane.

"I thought one was for Ryoga?" asked Ranma.

"He's with Uykyo, remember?" Mousse said.

"Oh yeah."

"Duh, Ranma we went to their engagement party last week," Yui replied, looking into the limo.

"No."

Akane rolled her eyes.

"Bye, Shampoo," Nabiki called as she crawled into the limo.

          Once the limo left, Shampoo walked over to Akane's father.

"Hi, Shampoo, where's my daughter?" he asked when the Amazon smiled.

"Shampoo want friends be happy. Shampoo let them leave on honeymoon.  Middle daughter tell me to give this to you." She replied handing him the note.

"What? They left? They weren't supposed to leave without us.  We need to go get them, Soun." Genma said getting angry.

"If that boy messes this up, I'll…" he stopped when he felt his friend's hand on his shoulder.

He looked at Soun, tears we're falling down his face.

"Akane's pregnant," was all he said.

Genma's jaw dropped to the ground.  Nodoka came up next to her husband and smiled.

"No need to worry then," she said sighing.

"Kasumi and Nabiki will take care of them. Plus they need the vacation."

"Not to mention Ryoga, Uykyo, Taro, and Dr. Tofu." said Cologne.

Shampoo looked at her great grandmother.  Cologne looked at her "Let's go home, child."

Shampoo nodded. "Yes, let's.

          Shampoo sat on her bed and looked at the pictures Cologne had taken at the wedding.  Akane and Yui did look beautiful.  Ranma and Mousse looked handsome.

"Why didn't I see it before?" she thought as she looked at Mousse. All those years of him following her around telling her that he loved her, she hated it and loved it at the same time knowing that she had some one to fall back on.

"I should have given him a chance," she thought.

"Too late now.  Maybe Shampoo go for different boy."  Brightening up to the idea, she beamed.

"Yes, Shampoo go for different boy.  Maybe that pervertedboy at the shrine with that weird staff."


End file.
